Jay to the World by Donna Andrews Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow #40
Published by Macmillan Audio on November 10, 2026
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Length: 9 hrs 13 mins
Pages: 288
Format: Audiobook
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The Christmas season is underway in Caerphilly. The members of the Hollingsworth clan, Meg’s mother’s family, are beginning to arrive in force, and Mother has several special projects underway this year. One is the playhouse she’s having built for Brynn, her two-year-old granddaughter. Brynn is a bright, lively child who loves animals, especially a wounded jay that she and Meg are trying to rehabilitate. She’s also hoping to play matchmaker and set up her cousin with an old friend of hers who was recently widowed.
But all is not going smoothly in Caerphilly. Someone vandalizes the playhouse and sets a dangerous trap that injures and could have killed Mother. She reveals that she has been getting nasty anonymous letters, and it’s obvious that someone is targeting her. Meg realizes she has to do something to figure out who could possibly have it in for her mom.
Meg juggles holiday preparations and celebrations while investigating these potential enemies – not to mention helping repair the damaged playhouse, taking her turn at nursing the wounded jay, and trying to coax Mother’s elderly cousin into a reunion with his long-lost love. When one of Meg’s suspects is found dead under suspicious circumstances, the family rejoices that Mother is out of danger. But Meg isn’t quite sure they’re out of the woods just yet.
Yes, I might be starting my Christmas reading a little early this year. No, I don’t care. Jay to the World is #40 in the Meg Langslow series, but I haven’t read even close to all of them. I like that you can jump in and out of the series without feeling like you’ve missed much.
It’s almost Christmas in Caerphilly, and we all know that means family, food, and chaos. Meg’s mom, Margaret, has a lot going on – family and old friends are in town, she’s working on a playhouse for two-year old Brynn, is decorating a room in the annual “Show House.” It’s all (almost) under control, until Margaret finds the playhouse vandalized and is attacked. It turns out she has several potential enemies in town, and it’s up to Meg and the police to keep her safe and figure out who the bad guy is.
I like how well Andrews balances the mystery and cozy aspects of the book. Yes, there’s a potential killer on the loose, but people still need to eat and injured birds still need taken care of. It was nice catching up with so many returning characters and pets, too. I listened to the audio, as I usually do, and the narrator did a good job bringing Meg and the whole crew to life. She matches the tone of the book well, too.
The clues fit together, even with multiple crimes occurring. I was surprised by the whodunnit, but maybe should have seen it coming.
It’s a fun holiday read. There are plenty of Christmas touches and I enjoy spending time in Caerphilly. Meg’s family and the town have a great way of supporting each other and pulling together when life gets tough.
About Donna Andrews
Donna Andrews was born in Yorktown, Virginia, the setting of Murder with Peacocks and Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos, and now lives and works in Reston, Virginia. When not writing fiction, Andrews is a self-confessed nerd, rarely found away from her computer, unless she’s messing in the garden
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